Walking Early in the Morning : A Complete RESET

Intro to Reality

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I worked with an experienced Engineer. He worked several years for Hewlett-Packard, mentioning that it was for him a habit to start his day with a long walk, at 06 AM.

I thought it didn't had any particular benefit. Maybe some sort of practice that became necessary during that period, where we all suffered with social distance, isolation, etc., I thought to myself.

Since then, the idea was buzzing. Working remotely, spending a lot of time with virtual connections, disconnected from the outside: it's not a good thing. Could it be something beneficial?

Encountering more and more complex problems and questions, requiring good answer and explanations, from personal to professional matters.

I wish I could have a scientific background while writing this. This is just me, describing my experience, effects in my life.

First Steps (2023)

Start walking once or twice in a week. 07:00 AM. The fresh air. Few people on the streets, and some cars. Office workers starting their days, taking their kids to the schools.

There I was, having a 15 minutes route on a local park, which resembles more of a sunken forest, with different paths inside of it, where people take their dogs for a walk. Close to an avenue, and in a peaceful neighborhood.

Quite positive, but still, it was hard to establish a routine, specially when you live with someone who is not an early bird. It was more of an event, infrequent. You might feel like you have to do many things together, but that is more of a myth, and this experience, made that clear to me.

Nowadays (2024)

Times changed and so the circumstances (and the needs too). Now, I have long and frequent walks, starting at 06:30 AM. It became a necessary and healing routine. Going to the gym is great: it also reduces stress levels. But its not like walking.

I prepare myself a coffee to take with me. Comfortable clothing. Sun is rising: comes a sensation of synchronicity, as if something was also rising on my mind.

Some inspiring music or a podcast. It's like giving something easy for your brain to play with, while you observe the life outside. Listening to David Bowie while watching the kids going to school, it works just fine: the human equation is indeed, something complicated to understand.

If something works for you and you validated it, then it works.

RESET Completed

Back home, everything is more clear. A feeling of presence and awareness, which I tried to breakdown on the following paragraphs:

Connection

Could it be walking in the morning a kind of meditation? Not rushing things? I feel more connected with myself, more aware, by knowing what is going on "outside of my cave" (other realities). A sense of complete presence.

Reasoning

Designing solutions or thinking in possibilities (unfolding), is a more soft process. Reflections upon strategies, look more clear than before, reconsidering decisions and standpoints from yesterday, some of them (eventually) surprising me, in a positive way.

More pragmatism, then reducing noise. Breaking down complex things into small parts (more Cartesian), doing things that matter, first. No pressure of tackling multiple things.

Some of them, can't be handled right now, and that's OK.

Every issue, will have its turn to be solved.

Organism

I have to mention this: digestive apparatus works way better. For someone that spends too much time sitting on a desk, you might imagine how difficult this topic could be (e.g.: IBS).

I dare to say that, even the breakfast, tastes better. Senses are sharpened.

Relaxation 

Now that have more awareness from outside, with a completed RESET process, I am more relaxed. There's more room for reason and comprehension, rather than assumptions and early judging. If every human being holds a universe inside, I feel that such universe, moves more gentle.

Feelings of anxiety or worries, become weaker, even ceasing to bother. Peace and self control, are boosted.

Writing

Being code, documentation, writing things with more meaning, is also experienced. Communication is more fluid in all vectors.

Wrap Up : The Reset Process & A Compound Interest of 1%

I'm aware that, social, economic and even environmental aspects, might pose severe restrictions for such a simple activity. You might require someone to be your partner, if that's the case. Taking your dog with you on, your wife/husband (if you don't want to/cannot walk alone), could be something to improve the experience.

Dryer places, might provide a different experience in comparison with tropical regions, but the "magic" of walking outside, still happens.

Effects you might experience, are pretty much related with your openness to enjoy the process, although I'm not so sure if you will harvest the best of it, if you are thinking about getting back to your house ASAP, without even having a good reason for it: some autopilot which you haven't detected, yet. In such case, there'll be no meditation, I'd say: it's not just about walking in the morning, but it's also about starting your day and connecting with the world outside.

Then, you might have a complete reset process which started at the end of the last day, after having a good night of sleep (crucial), then finishing with a long walk, early in the morning.

I'm confident that it's a habit that gives 1%, every time you do it. Think it like a compound interest: imagine the long-term effect on you, even on those around you, experiencing your best version, more relaxed and present, in the long term.

Hope you might think it over, even if you are not an early bird.

"The 1% that makes the difference."